I look back on this past year of featuring all of our darling peeps and my heart is absolutely bursting as I think of this beautiful ethical community that we are a part of – squee with excitement as we enter our toddler years here at SKIP. It’s been such a great ride so far. I wonder at the baby steps that we took to get even here and I realize that it’s those steps that start in so many different ways.

For us, it was Janet’s innocent query of “Hey Portia, do you want to start a cottage industry?” For many of our dear designers, it’s the birth of their first child that sends them on a path of great discovery. I love a beautiful “About Us” story and when I read the self professed “simple” story that launched Plum + Sparrow, I just Diiiiiiieeeeed! Melt my heart. Caramel wrappers strewn hither-dither. Do grab a cup o’ whatever, sit back and savour this sweet story. Me lives for this!

This tale starts with the birth of not a firstborn, but of the birth of a dear-hearted girl, who joined a family that already had 3 dear-hearted boys. In celebration, this little cherub’s mom was given a Moses basket that would change her idea of motherhood completely.

“To be honest, I was beyond excited and never imagined how much I’d fall in love with it. I fell in love with the sheer simplicity of it and the closeness and security I felt in being able to have her with me and our little family, sleeping or not, no matter where we were in the house. I have noticed that my love for the simplicity in things has grown with the birth of each child. I have found myself seeking out things to bring motherhood and parenting back to basics. I loved her Moses Basket so much that I knew I wanted to share this little gem with other mamas. So the hunt began to find something unique, beautiful and one of a kind…..and that is how Plum + Sparrow was born.”

~ Dianna, Creator of Plum + Sparrow

Each basket is made with love by a group of weavers in a village in Africa. This group of talented men and women not only have developed this skill and art form, but are passing it down to their kids, creating a lasting legacy that will allow generation after generation to live a dignified, richer life, knowing they can provide for their family. Knowing they can be proud in their community and in their art.

Plum + Sparrow value the skills of these artisans, who have been weaving these baskets for generations, so to keep this tradition alive, Dianna and her team insist that the colors and patterns are the choice of the artist resulting in a one-of-a-kind basket.

Dianna also makes sure that the weavers are not only treated with respect but are paid a fair and equal wage. Not only that, 10% of every basket purchase made at Plum + Sparrow is given back to the African village weavers. But because they want to support the weavers and their families in more ways than just one, they work together with their supplier and non profit partner to provide additional aid to their communities. Your purchase helps these weavers and their families in a number of ways including family healthcare and schooling to young children.